By Vir B. Lumicao
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| The 5 accused are said to have a string of prior convictions |
Four in a group of five Filipinas facing theft
charges hugged each other and cheered in the dock at noon on Apr 9, after an
But their joy was short-lived when Magistrate Peter Law told each of them that their bail requests were refused due to previous convictions and the risk that they may re-offend or abscond.
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The five, Eleanor Gagni, Liexel Retrita, Ma Consuelo Novo, Virginia Moradella and Loida Figueroa, were arrested in February for alleged shop thefts in North Point.
Four of them, excluding Moradella, were charged in
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| PRESS FOR DETAILS |
When the prosecutor asked for a three-week adjournment for legal advice, Law initially objected, saying the defendants had been in detention since February.
The prosecutor said a miscommunication with the police caused the delay in the investigation, which was completed only on Mar 31.
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The defense lawyer did not object to the adjournment, saying he had not yet seen the investigator’s report and needed time to study it, as there were five defendants and five different offences.
The prosecutor said charges 1-4 occurred one after the other in North Point on Jan 3, Feb 8 and Feb 10. She said the suspects were caught on CCTV committing the offenses.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
She also said Moradella and Figueroa are illegal immigrants,
but the defense lawyer objected, saying Moradella is not in
Gagni, the first defendant, had four previous convictions for shop theft and four other unrelated offenses, the prosecutor said.
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She said Retrita had five previous convictions, and was under a suspended sentence for three previous theft convictions when she got involved in the present case. Figueroa had three previous unrelated convictions but jumped police and immigration bail.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
The prosecutor asked that the accused be held without bail because of their previous convictions, and the magistrate agreed. He remanded all of them in custody, along with Moradella who did not apply for bail.
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong |
Law also rejected the prosecution’s request for a three-week adjournment and set the next hearing for Apr 15.
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| BASAHIN ANG DETALYE |
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